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Welcoming romance author Rachel Brimble

Today, I have the pleasure of welcoming fabulous romance author and good friend, Rachel Brimble. Her romantic suspense and historical romance novels are exciting, realistic and intriguing. Adding Harlequin to her list of quality romance publishers, Rachel's is a name to watch!

Welcome back, Rachel. It's lovely to have you on board again. I'm glad you've agreed to be grilled. Here goes...

1. Now, what inspired you to write Reluctant Witness?

This book was actually inspired by a TV news story I watched a few years ago. The story was of a young woman who thought she’d witnessed a shooting on a boat while she collecting shells at the ocean shore. It turned out to be an absolute waste of police time and a complete misinterpretation on her part.

However, that was it for me – what if she had witnessed a shooting? What happens next?

This book is a few years old now but all my romantic suspense stories tend to be inspired by a twist to a real-life story.

2. What are you working on at the moment?

I am just finished up the first round edits on my first romantic suspense for three years. I am excited to say that the book will be published by the Harlequin Superromance line which is the longer length Harlequin books. I haven’t a release date yet but I’m assuming it will be available early 2013.

It is set in a fictional UK seaside town and about the murder of a young woman who was one part in a trio of friends – the surviving two reunite after a seven year estrangement to find her killer…and of course, each other.

3. With your busy schedule, how do you co-ordinate your time between writing work and family life?

I don’t, lol! My time is jam-packed with writing, house work and taxing my two daughters here, there and everywhere. As I am lucky enough to stay at home, I tend to write from 9am to 3pm during the week and then its chores and kids’ clubs, dinner and hopefully sat in front of the TV by 7.30pm.

I never write in the evenings, so I suppose that’s our family time and also a lot less on the weekend. If we have plans, I put the writing aside on Saturday and Sunday. Of course, if we don’t, then I’m sneaking off to the laptop at every opportunity ;)

~Thank you, Rachel. Sounds like you have it all under control. ;-) I can't wait for your Harlequin release.

Here's a sneak peek at Rachel's romantic suspense, Reluctant Witness!

Blurb:

Professional singer Julia Kershaw is leaving town and moving on with her life. She desperately needs an escape from her mother’s grief over the loss of Julia’s brother – shot and killed by an overzealous cop – and an ex-boyfriend who refuses to accept it’s over.

But when she becomes the sole witness to the murder of a man she has known all her life, how can she leave without helping to find his killer? But how can she work with a cop after everything the police have put her family through?

When Detective Inspector Daniel Conway is removed from the city chaos he thrives on, and sent to a sleepy seaside town, the last thing he expects is a murder case. With an impeccable record that he intends to keep that way, for both personal and professional reasons, he refuses to allow his very beautiful, sexy – and secretive to walk away from the case. Or him.

Excerpt:

She opened the refrigerator door. “Do you want milk or cream in your coffee?” No answer. “Marcus?”

And then he was there. Right behind her. His breath hot against the exposed nape of her neck. She gripped the milk carton tighter in her hand as she slowly straightened to find his six-foot frame looming over her like a phantom.

Fear beat a steady pulse at the base of her throat. “What are you doing?” she asked, forcing a laugh. “You scared the hell out of me.”

“Did I, Julia? Did I really?”

Feeling incredibly hot despite the cold air coming from the open refrigerator door, Julia swallowed. “Please, Marcus. You have to stop this. It’s madness.”

“I only want to talk to you. It’s not a lot to ask.” He lifted a piece of her hair and curled it around his finger. “I was hoping you were going to tell me all about the new Detective Inspector?”

Her heart picked up speed. “Inspector Conway?”

“Uh-huh. You’ve been spending a good amount of time with him.” He inhaled a shaky breath. “Which makes no sense to me after what happened to Phil.”

She closed the refrigerator door. “Don’t do this.”

“Do what? Remind you how a cop gunned down your brother in cold blood. Mistakenly thinking him an armed robber?”

“Marcus--”

He dropped her hair and grasping her shoulders, quickly spun her around. “No, Julia, no! The whole town watched your poor mother’s heart be broken, saw your own hatred for the boys in blue. But now you’re stepping out with one as though you’re a couple?”

“I am not stepping out with him. I’m--”

“You’re what? Come on, let me hear it. What are you doing with him?”

His face was white with rage. His face was so close she could smell the faint scent of a cigarette on his breath. Her stomach rolled.

I'm here!!! I couldn't access the blog yesterday and had no idea why - SO frustrating!

First of all, I hate to think I misled you ladies...Reluctant Witness is an older title of mine, published by The Wild Rose Press. It was the last romantic suspense I wrote prior to signing with Harlequin so I thought I would put it under the spotlight for awhile.

It is likely the Harlequin book will not be available until early 2013 - so sorry if I didn't make that clear!

Lovely to see you here and thanks for the support - after the writing day I had yesterday, i need it!